With All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones battling through a bruised knee on a short week, the Falcons will need an encore performance from wide receiver Mohamed Sanu.
A week after catching a season-high nine passes for 84 yards and scoring the game-winning touchdown, Sanu will be on the hot seat to repeat that showing against the Buccaneers.
In the season opener against the Bucs, Sanu caught five passes for 80 yards and a touchdown as the Bucs heavily doubled-teamed Jones. A healthy Jones was held to four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown by Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith, the Falcons’ former head coach.
In their game-winning touchdown drive against the Packers, Ryan found Sanu five times, including the 11-yard touchdown with 31 seconds to play.
Jones clearly was hobbled Sunday, as he had only three receptions for 29 yards against the Packers. He kept pulling himself out of the game.
Sanu has 32 catches and is on pace to break his career-high of 56 catches, set in 2014 when he was with the Bengals. He ranks among the many receiving options the Falcons have when Jones is heavily covered or hurting.
“They love that challenge that comes with it, knowing different plays call for different looks based on our personnel that might be in the game and how they play it,” Quinn said of his wide receivers. “The fact that we get everybody involved is a very important part of our offense not just in the pass game, but in the run game, too. … The amount of people that get involved in the pass game is really important for us.”
Sanu signed a five-year, $32.5 million contract essentially to replace Roddy White.
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